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Blocksperre (Close Barracks)
In camp E ''of ''Birkenau-Auschwitz we faced death every day. Death was lurking everywhere and assailed us under most various guises: diseases or touring, hunger or thirst, exhaustion or despair. But quite soon we got used to diseases and beatings, to starvation and lack of water and to despair. It rested with us not to give in and the wish to survive was stronger that all this, at least that's how we felt in the beginning. Fear of death seized us only when the Blockälteste shouted: "From column for selection!" Starting that moment our life no longer belonged to us no longer depended on our will to survive, but on chance, or Mengele's whims. We even felt the cold grip of death but we managed to bear it only because that dreadful state lasted very little. Hauptsturmführer-SS needs less than five minutes tore view the 150-200 rows of fives that made up the front of our barrack and to point to those who had to be taken to crematoria. Even when we passed naked one by one in front of him, the selection lasted no more than 15-20 minutes. When Mengele left the platform, we, those who escaped the crematoria, fell to the ground to draw life from the earth into our bodies that had been dragged of the last drop of power. Fear of death overpowered us completely when we heard the shout: "Blocksperre!" ''"Close barracks!" This usually happened at dusk when two ''Läufers darted from the sentinel post at the camp entrance to the other end of the camp running, along the central alley and shouting at the top of their voices: "Blocksperre!" "Blocksperreee!" Close barracks! Panic-stricken inmates from all platforms rushed to the barracks jostling and trampling on one another and the doors closed. In mid August 1944 Blocksperre! '''''Was ordered in camp E for the first time after my arrival there and during that night all gypsies in the camp were taken to the crematoria and burnt to ashes. The next morning the even barracks on the right side of the alley, which had been occupied by gypsies until then, with their big doors wide open looked like some empty, violated graves. Even since, I had heard the two Läufers'' shouting: ''Blocksperre!'' Close barracks! Ever more often and after each night whenBlocksperre!' Close barracks! Was shouted daybreak always found one two barracks deserted and empties. Nobody from the barracks singled out for extermination ever stayed alive. During the following days the barracks were packed with the last survivors of the ghettoes in Poland... Once in the barrack with the barracks doors closed the panic-stricken' Häftlings' lost all control and burst out crying, screaming, and yelling hysterically. The whole camp was clamoring. And then suddenly -- silence. The inmates of almost thirty barracks stood stone still. They didn't move, didn't blink, didn't even breathe, they would have even silenced their heartbeats if they could. Only our ears were strained to the utmost. The vans advent ad noisily but slowly, stringing our nerves. Were would they stop this time? In front of which barrack? They passed past barracks 6... 8... 10... Blood rose to our faces. Another two barracks and then our barrack, barrack No. 16. They stopped. They must have stopped in front of barrack No. 12 or 14. We can no longer hear it. Another moment and... "Mother!... Mother where are you? Help!... No... I don't want to die!..." It is barrack No. 15. This means they are liquidating the odd barracks on the other side of the alley. An hour long as an endless night follows. An hour during which the 'Häftlings 'of barrack No. 15 are packed in vans and taken to crematoria. There is silence again. The last van went away, yet we do not dare to move. Fear of death does not leave us. What if the liquidation went an? Which barrack would follow? Toward daybreak we realize that this time we escaped. We have a sigh of relief and resume our daily routine till that evening when 'Läufers 'would again run along the alley, shouting on the top their voices: 'Bloksperre!''' Close barracks! Category:Death Camps Category:Buildings